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Escambia County Alabama Looks To Increase Sales Tax
March 22, 2017
The county commission in Escambia County, AL, is asking the Alabama legislature to increase the county sales tax by 1 cent.
A 1-cent increase is expected to boost the county’s annual revenue by over $2.7 million. Without the increase, commissioners have said the county will be facing service cutbacks and possible layoffs due to lower general fund revenue, partially due to a decrease in revenue from oil and gas severance revenue and gas taxes.
The sale tax in Atmore, Flomaton in Brewton is currently 9 percent, while East Brewton already charges a 10 percent sale tax. The increase would mean a 10 percent tax in the cities, except 11 percent in East Brewton. Just to the south in Escambia County, FL, the sales tax is 7.5 percent, except for groceries and medications that have zero tax.
The commission has petitioned the legislature for the increase because Alabama law won’t allow a local county to pass a regulation to create new revenue.
Pictured top: The sales tax in Atmore, including at this Winn Dixie store, is currently 9 percent but may soon increase to 10 percent. A few miles away in Florida, shoppers pay no sales tax on groceries, 7.5 percent on most other items. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
19 Responses to “Escambia County Alabama Looks To Increase Sales Tax”
Remember that they are also asking for a gas tax increase as well. Call the state representatives and make your voices heard. Also know that Alan Baker and stokes on the commission are brother in laws.
Most of the county commissioners need to be replaced. There is no shopping in Escambia County Alabama. It time to drain the swamp.
They need to consider a tax on mineral rights in AL. The people that own the surface rights and mineral rights together, for a parcel of land, would be excluded. If, you owned surface rights on one piece of property and mineral rights on another they could cancel each other out. In AL, mineral rights can usurp surface rights; yet, mineral right owners pay no taxes.
Go shop out-of-town or out-of-state always sounds so good.
In other words go support some other City, County or State through paying taxes there.
Meanwhile the people that live there are bitching about new taxes raised taxes and how they should go shop somewhere else.
Not sure about vicious but it is certainly a circle. Or Circus……
@old man
If you’re a renter, I can see where you’d be better off in Florida, but if you own a home the property taxes and all the other little fees are ridiculous. If they’re not getting the revenue with income taxes or grocery taxes, they’re getting it from somewhere else.
i lived in brewton until i moved to p cola best move i ever made elected officals should be limited to 2 terms the people that raise taxes never give a thoudht to those living on a fixed income fl doesnt have income tax nor tax on groceries and meds and we still have decent roads and schools wake up people and vote these people OUT
The escambia county commission in Al isn’t republican it’s democrat. There is one republican out of 5. Don’t blame the republicans, blame the ones that everyone thinks does no wrong, the DEMOCRATS!! To address the speeding, the top 2 at the sheriffs office don’t want tickets because tickets don’t win elections. Same ole dog and pony show!!
Counties and States always increase taxes with the reasoning “the money is needed to take care of things”. But once they get the increased money, seems those things don’t get taken care of and the cities have the same problems. Then they use the same excuse when they want another increase to justify it. Bet you could go back years ago, look into the records when the last increase was requested and the same reason then goes for now. Just saying…broken record syndrome!
Come shop at Century Food Giant, Dollar Stores, and Bondurant Ace Hardware! Have a lunch with the locals at the Panhandle or Sandwich Deli or Hudson’s!
So let me better understand the Republican legislation of the county is raising taxes but we can’t vote Democrat because they raise taxes as well? From past experience I would say when the left raises tax at least a percentage goes back to the people in the form of community services. I am neither Republican or Democrat but where most of your tax dollars end up can easily be googled. Most of Florida and ESC, FL tends to vote moderate Republican or right leaning Democrat which is better for government vs sole Republican legislator’s as Alabama appears to do.
If Escambia County deputies actually patrolled the highways and gave out tickets to speeders they could bring in a lot of revenue, sometimes I wonder if they even own radar detectors. Everybody knows when they’re traveling hwy 31 in Baldwin County that as soon as they cross into Escambia County they can put the hammer down and not worry about getting pulled over.
Oh well, I guess Piggly Wiggly in Davisville should get a bump in business after this goes into effect. Personally, I stock up on groceries anytime I go to Pensacola.
Paying tithes on food…..what a shame
the real victims are the small business owners who will not have a say in this. When shoppers go elsewhere businesses have to lay off, cut back, or close. So the citizens will be the victims, these politicians will still have their salary no matter if the tax goes through or not.
Shop outside of Escambia County Alabama.
The victims here are those not mobile enough to shop elsewhere.
Because of this kind of county greed, I go out of my way to NOT to shop in Escambia County, Alabama. Root out the truth from your elected officials. They are paid by our tax dollars to represent us…unfortunately, the are all failing at the job. I encourage you all to make your voices known when you get tired of being taxed to death!
No new taxes , I repeat NO NEW TAXES
Many of these same politicians ran in their districts against raising taxes; many of them ran for numerous terms on this.
Now, these same politicians want to raise the taxes of hard working people who are struggling to make it in the first place. IF the politicians of that area really cared to do something they’d demand their legislators push a referendum on state wide casino gambling. That’s why so many of us have moved over the state line.
There’s a click in Escambia Couonty and Atmore; when voters keep electing the same types of entrenched folks who all run in the same circles and think the same; what else can you expect? You can bet; when they get the tax increase (and they will), they will sit in the floor like little kids and cry and beg for more.
It’s time to drain the swamp Escambia County and put new leadership in, not just in Brewton but in the cities of that county too. It’s time to get rid of politicians who think they were elected for life.
Wake up and give em’ their walking papers at the polls!.
The bottom line: Escambia County, Alabama cannot manage its money. You need to learn to do as most working Americans have learned to do: budget. Some programs that you have should be cut out. Quit trying to be the solution to everybody’s problems and then turn around and “charge” for it. Good grief.
Gheez…the next article will be that you are going to start to be charged for the air you breathe.